A UAV is an aircraft that does not include a human pilot onboard. UAVs are sometimes referred to as drones. UAVs include onboard controllers along with communication capabilities that allow a remote operator (e.g., the ground pilot) the ability to control the UAV during flight operations.
Multi-propeller UAVs (e.g., quadcopters) utilizes a plurality of propellers to supply lift to the UAV. When the airframe of a multi-propeller UAV is flexible, the thrust of the propellers can impart undamped modes in the airframe that may lead to reduced flight handling qualities of the UAV. While increasing the rigidity of the multi-propeller UAV is an option, this may increase the weight of the vehicle, which is undesirable due to the reduction in the available flight time of the vehicle.
Therefore, there is a need to improve the flight performance of multi-propeller UAVs that utilize flexible airframes.